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Sopressata & Capicola Taste Test Tuesday – Episode 109

Sopressata & Capicola are 2 Italian meats which until today I have never had to spell out, but after 4 or 5 attempts and none looking right I broke down and looked them up. Anyway these are 2 tasty treats that are often lumped together with salami & ham in the Italian deli meat world and it is shame. Capicola is a delicate product not meant to be competing on a roll with the like of the salami’s and hams sold in the USA. Sopressata is more towards the salami world in that it is ground up meat stuffed into a casing.

Anyway these are 2 meat products that deliver in a big way and as with many imported Italian speciality products you get what you pay for. Also there is part one of the review of the book Crush It! by Gary Vaynerchuk

A little Wiki

Capicola, or coppa, is a traditional Neapolitan Italian cold cut (salume). In its production, Capicola is first lightly seasoned, often with red and sometimes white wine, garlic, and a variety of herbs and spices which differ depending on region. The meat is then salted (and was traditionally massaged) and stuffed into a natural casing and hung for up to six months to cure. Differences in flavor can also depend on what type of wood is used for smoking as well as what breed of pig is selected. Capicola is a typical dish of the city of Piacenza, and is popular in Switzerland near the borders with Italy, and on the French island of Corsica. It was previously little known in the US outside of areas heavily populated by Italian-Americans. Two particular varieties, Coppa Piacentina and Capocollo di Calabria, have Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status under the Common Agricultural Policy of European Union law, which ensures that only products genuinely originating in those regions are allowed in commerce as such.

Sopressatais an Italian dry-cured salami. Sopressata can be made of fresh hams, as well as other cuts. Pork is the traditional meat used, though it is sometimes made using beef. The meat is either coarsely pressed or ground as with other salamis. Pressing gives it an uneven, rustic appearance when sliced. Soppressata is a specialty of southern Italy, and often includes hot pepper (though, as with all salami, seasonings vary). The sausage is hung up to dry for anywhere between 3 and 12 weeks, depending on the diameter, and loses about 30 percent of its original weight. Cured sopressata is often stored in jars of olive oil. Soppressata di Basilicatais mainly produced in Rivello, Cancellara, Vaglio and Lagonegro. Soppressata di Pugliaof Martina Franca is especially famed. Soppressata di Calabriaenjoys PDO; the one produced in Decollatura is especially renowned.

Nice show. That’s a lot of sulumi? Gary should be paying you to take his book and then advertise it.

admin

Yeah still working on finishing it- think I am going to make a grilled pizza with it- Yeah GV owes me!

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This site is a place where I will be sharing family recipes and preserving them. Nothing is worse than hearing of family recipes that have died off and with it a part of your family tradition. Also I will be creating some new recipes, trying out others, having fun and connecting with family and friends. There will be videos shot poorly and edited even worse. There will be some wine reviews also, please check back often and feel free to comment.

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Wine Reviews

2005 Bodegas Diaz Bayo Ribera del Duero Nuestro - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero (8/15/2010)
very dark in color was a little shocked for some reason - nose attacked with some big blackberry jam and whiff of the 14.5% comes through with a touch of vanilla- The fruit attacks up front and would make you think this is a much younger wine. Great dark fruit - feel to thrown anyone in the description cause they are there. what seperates this from just being a fruit bomb is that it has secondary flavors baking spice and shaved pencil and the oak while present is not overbearing.

There is a bit of a bitterness on the finish and agree this is not a great wine to pair with food in general but I think some smoky bbq or chipotle pork dish at $18 I would re-buy this (90 pts.)

2007 Mockingbird Hill Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley (8/12/2010)
very nice cabernet for under $15 - what makes this nice is that the fruit shines through - the nose is a big blueberry pie with a hint of alcohol followed by a beautiful up front fruit attack of cherry with a little pomegranite the mid range of this wine lacks depth and character and the finish rounds out with some tart cassis- what is surprising is that the finish with its in check oak actually lasts a while-going to save some and see if the mid pal rounds out later- nice wine that I would rebuy (87 pts.)

N.V. Ca' Furlan Cuvée Béatrice - Italy, Veneto (7/25/2010)
Really enjoyed this prosecco - color was a light straw color and the nose had some refreshing floral notes and almost a pineapple hint on the nose- I would call the a champagne drinkers prosecco in that is very low on the sweetness scale. This wines starts to change a lot as it warms up and you almost get some of the tropical flavors you would find in a Sauvignon Blanc -nice acidity on the finish- Have had 3 bottles so far and will be getting more for $10 this is a no brainer- Oh and it has a champagne type closure so you do not need a corkscrew like other prosecco's (89 pts.)

2009 Bodegas Ateca / Zabrin Calatayud Garnacha de Fuego Old Vines - Spain, Aragón, Calatayud (7/25/2010)
Another Jorge Ordonez wine that delivers in the sub $10 range- forget sub $10 paid $6.39 for it- I mean come on that is an outright steal - this wine checks in with somenice cherry/rasberry and a hint of the alcohol comes through - there is a pleasant easy drinking nature to this wine that we really enjoyed- the brightness of the fruit was met with a little backbone and its youth is clear on the finish which can show a touch of the 14.5% alcohol. This is a go to wine when you are looking at a Dolcetto or a beaujolais heck if you are a California bright fruit pinot noir drinker and can not find something under $20 to fit you needs for a daily - give this a whirl it may do well for you (86 pts.)

2008 X Winery White X - USA, California, North Coast (7/3/2010)
was very discouraged about the light color of this wine but this really came through with much more flavor than I thought- seems like the extra 4 months in bottle since others have reviewed it have allowed this wine to come together more- I honestly can not see anyone not enjoying this wine- from a wine geek to a novice- I will post my detailed notes a little later but this is a perfect summer party wine for $12 (88 pts.)

2008 Alexander Valley Vineyards Zinfandel Redemption - USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley (7/3/2010)
only had one glass of this and it was very nice - some blueberry/plumb on the nose with a touch of spice- dark berry carried through on the taste and this is some nice cracked pepper notes- a little thin before the finish but that may have rounded out as it breathed a little more- very characteristic of Alexander Valley Vineyards with very vineyard driven wines- light touch by the winemaker- for $16-$17 will try another- (88 pts.)

2003 Toad Hollow Pinot Noir Eye of the Toad - USA, California, Sonoma County (7/20/2010)
Toad Hollow is a great spot to stop in at their tasting room in Healdsburg - fun wines and very easy going staff. Sadly this wine was past its prime - was not aweful but just not very interesting- nose was a little bit of floral and the taste was some muted strawberry- current score is not reflective of what this wine once was- Had a few bottles of this over the years and it was an easy drinking, food friendly wine which checked in at 11.5% alcohol - a once fine Rose' (84 pts.)

2007 Buehler Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley (7/3/2010)
dark fruits on the nose backed by a Hi-C brightness felt like I got a whiff of the alcohol on the nose also- but very vibrant nose- FYI this was in decanter fo 1 hour- taste carried through with the dark cherry, pipe tobacco and a little caramel- oak is clearly present but in balance - the only thing is the alcohol on this wine is way to noticeable on the finish at this point- and that rarely bothers me- the finish is the only thing keeping this from a 90 point wine for me as the fruit is very nice-I think this wine would pair very well with some gorgonzole or blue cheeses - At $20-$22 I would try this again for sure- (88 pts.)

2006 Tenuta Sette Ponti Crognolo Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (6/17/2010)
a 375 enjoyed with the wife so only could review based on 1 glass - went very will with grilled pizza-prosciutto topped- really an ideal wine in 375 format some nice cherry on the nose and a little with a hint of cocoa - carried a little earthyness and cherry with a touch of pencil shaving- enjoyed this an was really at 88 but the last few sips it seemed to be opening up a little more-have more bottles and will give some more air time- great food wine (89 pts.)

2006 Marietta Cellars Petite Sirah Alexander Valley - USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley (7/9/2010)
very dark wine - over ripe plum and blue berry on the nose- enjoyed the fruit of this wine though at times it felt a bit to the Hi-C side had a solid midpallet with a little baking spice mixed- solid tanin - For the price I would try another bottle of this I just felt this bottle was a little to "jammy" to me. This was in the decantor for 45 minutes- If the fruit mellowed this really could become a stellar bottle- next botle will tell if I buy a few to put away-I think many who enjoy big fruit wines will like this a lot- (88 pts.)